Less Panels, More People: The Podcast Show 2025
Plus: AI-generated Darth Vader row, Spotify’s “Plays” controversy, and immersive bees in sonic branding
Hello!
This week I have been at The Podcast Show in London but this year, it felt very different. Not just in the lineup or layout, but in how I approached it, and how many others seemed to approach it too.
I’ve attended every year since it launched four years ago and have usually come away with a nagging feeling that something was missing - not enough practical advice for indie creators, too many celebrity-fronted panels, or just a general sense that the event didn’t quite reflect the day-to-day reality of podcasting. That said, I could never quite put my finger on what I wanted it to be instead.
So this year, I did something different: I barely glanced at the schedule. I wasn’t there for the talks, the panels, or the big-name keynotes. I went to connect. I spent time catching up with old friends and making new ones. I helped Spiritland Productions set up their stand on Tuesday and got to look over the shoulder of their engineer during live recordings in the pop-up studio space. I was a bit of a runner, had some great conversations, and for once I wasn’t rushing between sessions or stuck in a queue wondering if I’d make it in. I came home feeling much more motivated, and a lot less exhausted, than usual!
And I wasn’t the only one. Plenty of people I spoke to were there to network rather than sitting through the presentations.
There were some noticeable shifts on the floor too. Shure, which usually dominates the centre of the show, was instead sponsoring the creator stage (no lovely SM7B’s to play with). Their usual prime spot was home instead to Sandisk (big files…video files… need storage). The big players; Spotify, Acast, Amazon and Goalhanger were tucked away upstairs in smaller spaces - which meant they hadn’t paid for the prime spots (made me wonder how the show will continue if they aren’t taking big money from the main players…)
The Podcast Show still feels like it’s trying to be everything to everyone - part listener/fan event, part trade show, part industry showcase. It needs the big names to sponsor it and celebrities to draw crowds, but for creators the event often feels disconnected. Add to that an industry still in the middle of an identity crisis (especially around video), and you end up with a show that reflects all of that - a little confused, slightly fractured, but still full of energy.
So this year, I stopped expecting it to be something it’s not and just made it what I needed and it made all the difference.
Smart links for sound people - this week we Rewind on news from
🎧 #Podcasting
REGISTER: Edison Research’s The Infinite Dial UK 2025, May 29 | Zoom/Infinite Dial UK
Infinite Dial 2025 UK report reveals latest audio and podcast trends | Podnews
Understanding “Plays” on Spotify: what creators need to know | Spotify for Creators
Spotify responds to creator backlash over public podcast play counts | TechCrunch
Spotify removes fake podcasts promoting drug sales after investigation | CNN
International Women’s Podcast Awards 2025 shortlist now available | IPWA
Inside Kenya’s booming and unfiltered podcasting scene | Nation
The Rest is Football dropped by BBC after row | BBC News
Video is making podcasts a premium buy for advertisers | Digiday
How a branded podcast can boost your digital strategy | Cambridge Network
iHeartMedia and Bloomberg Media extend multiyear podcast partnership | Business Wire
The Times announces new podcast series The General and The Journalist | News UK
🎶 #SoundDesign
World Bee Day 2025: How honey inspired a buzz-worthy take on sonic branding | Down To Earth
The power of sonic branding in the fitness industry | Athletech News
Purdy & Figg turn cleaning into a sonic ritual in new campaign | LBBOnline
Review: Inside the new DARKFIELD immersive audio experience in Auckland | Newstalk ZB
Coffee Cultures partners with The Music Trust to curate in-store playlists | CBS42
🔮 #AudioFutures
Amazon tests AI-generated audio summaries for product listings | Fashion Network
SAG-AFTRA files complaint over AI-generated Darth Vader voice in Fortnite | BBC News(BBC)
Google launches NotebookLM app with AI-powered research and voice features | Google Blog
Headliner launches TL;DL—an AI tool for faster podcast listening | Headliner
Apply to test Descript Agent| Descript
FBI warns AI deepfakes are targeting U.S. officials | CNBC
Sound tech turns any flat surface into a speaker | Autocar
Kardome and LG partner to revolutionize voice interfaces with spatial hearing AI | New Electronics
Google brings Gemini AI voice assistant to Android Auto and Automotive OS | Automotive Dive
Meridian Audio teams up with United Airlines on immersive inflight headset | HiddenWires
Google highlights new audio and accessibility features for Chromebooks | Android Central
Ethical AI voice platform launches to bring transparency to synthetic audio | Mix Online
Why Audible is replacing human narrators with AI voices | Inc.
Lidl launches search for the perfect Scottish voice for self-checkouts | Retail World Magazine
Google CEO responds after Quora CEO criticises Google Meet’s audio quality | Hindustan Times
Is this the smart speaker audiophiles have been waiting for? | RouteNote
Drivers prefer voice tech over human interaction at drive-thrus | eMarketer
Cyprus startup launches real-time voice AI coaching platform | Cyprus Mail
In the latest episode of the Stop Rewind Play podcast…
🎧 How much bad audio will listeners really forgive?
I explore why perfect sound isn’t always possible and the idea that while audio quality matters, sometimes crystal-clear audio just isn’t realistic. In fast-turn journalism and real-world interviews, rough audio happens. So how do we make it work for us, not against us?
I shared a few tricks for handling chaotic recording conditions (spoiler: it starts with wearing headphones and ends with trusting your gut). I also broke down when to guide a guest into better sound and when to acknowledge the roughness, make it part of the story, and move on.
If you missed it, here are the takeaways:
🎙 Listeners will forgive bad audio - if they understand why it’s bad
🎧 Momentum and storytelling can outweigh technical polish
🔊 Good editing isn’t just technical - it’s editorial too
▶️ Hit play on the 13 minute episode here 👇